1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image taking main unit which receives image signals from an image taking lens unit removably attached thereto and records the image signals therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been disclosed a lens-interchangeable camera in which an image taking lens unit is removably attached to and electrically connected to an image taking main unit through connectors (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-156790, pp. 1-pp. 3, FIG. 1). According to such a lens-interchangeable camera, dust or foreign matter settling on connectors, through which an image taking lens unit is electrically connected to an image taking main unit, can cause poor electric connection resulting in anomalies. Static electricity discharged from foreign matter in connectors may even destruct electronic elements of an image taking main unit.
However, according to the lens-interchangeable camera disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-156790, the connector section of the image taking main unit is exposed when the image taking lens unit is not attached to the image taking main unit. Thus this technique has the problem that dust or foreign matter settling on the connector section may cause poor connection and result in anomalies.
In order to deal with such a problem, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1996-171130 (pp. 2-pp. 5, FIG.4) discloses another type of lens-interchangeable camera which provides a barrier on the front of the image taking main unit, in which the image taking lens unit is removably inserted. The camera has two positions; one is where the barrier is opened to allow the image taking lens unit to be removably inserted therein; and the other is where the barrier is closed when the image taking lens unit is not attached to the image taking main unit. According to the technique, the presence of the barrier protects the inside of the image taking main unit even when the image taking lens unit is not attached thereto.
However, the camera disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1996-171130 still has the problem that space for the barrier is not utilized when the image taking lens unit is not attached to the image taking main unit. Because of the recent demand for a smaller and more compact image taking main unit in view of portability, it is necessary to utilize both the outside and the inside of an image taking main unit.